Touring bike driving light questions

[brider]

This is an old topic, and I've read the search results but nothing really jumps out as the best solution for me, so I'll ask some common questions again:

Can anyone with a Tonti-vintage tourer (mine is a Cal 2 with the factory front crashbar) suggest a good-working set of nighttime driving lights that mount to the crashbar?

Since the lights will probably be LED, is there a target lumen #, or K-number (5000K? 6000K?) I should be looking for? Color? Lens type?

If I do a search anywhere there are literally a BAZILLION options for size, color, etc, but there are a lot of reviews where the user cautions to NOT use them at night, but instead as a daytime driving light because they blind oncoming drivers.

Myself, I HATE LEDs that blow out your retinas when the driver has them aimed wrong/won't dim them/is just a jerk, but I would guess something that's bright enough would just need proper aiming to prevent blinding oncoming cars, or is lens design critical?

This really shouldn't be such a science project, but seems if it's LED, it's more complicated than just bulb-type lights in the days of yore.

[bmc5733946]

I have a pair of Rigids mounted to my crashbar on the Mille. I don't think they make what I have anymore. They were quite expensive but they are SAE rated and that was a requirement for me; more accurate beam control. I run them with an amber lens cover. I run them more for conspicuity than anything else.

https://www.rigidindustries.com/

Can be seen here!





Brian

[Huzo]

Well I don’t know how these stack up against the competition.


They are Denali and are sensational

[John A]

Look for pencil beam lights.

[Wayne Orwig]

I used to use incandescent driving lights on all of my bike. I even developed a device to dim them if the charge voltage was low, to not kill the battery.
But now, I have all LED lights. I sort of hate LEDs, because of the color. 6000k gives you too blue of a light. I have yet to encounter a deer with blue fur. Maybe in Florida, driving a Buick, but not here in Georgia.   

Anyway, I adapted my device to dim the LEDs light. So I run them at about 20% power normally, and on high beam they go to 100%. The LEDs that I just put on the V85 at called 40 watt. They actually measure 30 watts on my lab supply. So they are likely around 3000 lumens. And of course they are the 'blue' color, but it is what it is. Incandescent lights are likely about 1000 lumens, but of course a more useable color IMHO.

In the end, it is hard to escape the fact that you get a lot more light from a lot less power with LEDs. But you need to deal with the mediocre specs for all ofthe 'Chinesium' lights. Once you get through that, a simple set of light for about $30 can be very helpful.

[Amstaff]

Don’t ride at night. Too many deer. If you need lights for conspicuity, you should instead practice pretending you’re invisible. The deer don't care about your lights BTW.

I had a friend who had to ride his bike to work at 5am. He spent the last four years of his life in a facility with TBI from a deer hit…..

Almost cut the light brackets of my Stelvio but too much a PITA. Thats how I feel about extra lights.

[AJ Huff]

Don’t ride at night. Too many deer. If you need lights for conspicuity, you should instead practice pretending you’re invisible. The deer don't care about your lights BTW.

I had a friend who had to ride his bike to work at 5am. He spent the last four years of his life in a facility with TBI from a deer hit…..

Almost cut the light brackets of my Stelvio but too much a PITA. Thats how I feel about extra lights.

I feel the same way, never ride at night. But I do like extra lights for increased visibility in the daytime. Or at least my perceived increased visibility.

-AJ

[Amstaff]

I dont know about the increased visibility vs regular headlight……

I did have the experience that led me to believe the DRL in the wing shape on the V85 is not adequate to counter the negligence cultivated by safety regs and people accustomed to seeing lights.

The bright lights are a migraine trigger in daylight, and highbeams get a finger.

[j.davis]

I do a fair bit of night riding. I use Stedi 25w spots controlled by a Skene controller.
the lights are great at night and the Skene controller allows them to run at a lower brightness as daytime running lights and 100% with high beam.

[Amstaff]

Yeah…I realize that can happen. The risk is multiples higher at night. Statistics are the issue and how to avoid the worst.

[malik]

I run a pair of Denali D2's on my bikes - they are small, so suit the V7's & 1100 Sport, but on the Cali crash bars you could comfortably go larger. The light they throw is white, perhaps closer to 5,000k, I seem to remember. These I got hold of back in the day when there was not many decent alternatives. Nowadays, there's a huge variety & most a lot cheaper, so your research has to be more thorough. Those offered by Stedi seem interesting. Good luck.

[Kiwi_Roy]

I run a pair of these on my V7III for increased visibility during the day, I don't ride at night if I can possibly avoid it, I have terrible night vision.
https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/led-light-pods/led-light-pod-2-modular-led-off-road-work-light-10w-900-lumens/1699/
The guys I ride with say they are very visible.

[brider]

Thanks for the examples, guys, that's exactly what I was looking for. I'll check them out, they all look about what I'd zero in on looking randomly myself, but it's good to have endorsements.

Yes, I will run a dedicated circuit with separate switch powered by the key "on".

I also have terrible night vision, but I do have a pair of magic glasses my doctor gave me that said they'd help the night blurriness, and MAN they do! So I wear them at night, but mostly only carry them when there is the "threat" of riding at night; I don't actively plan on it, but have been caught many times.

For me, the lights are strictly for road illumination, as I have NEVER been happy with my single-bulb-Tonti-converted-to LED. I am always jealous of newer bikes going down the road with factory lights that let me see the road in front of THEM when THEY are a mile away.

[John A]

I can see deer better at night,  running what my friend called Theater lights. Trouble is there are more around at night, wanting to play “dodge deer”.  Running at night used to be a great pleasure for me.  Mix of incandescent and led, relays on everything, always on voltmeter tells me if I need to shed load.

[moto]

...
I also have terrible night vision, but I do have a pair of magic glasses my doctor gave me that said they'd help the night blurriness, and MAN they do!
...

I don't think my eye doctor deals in magic glasses. Can you describe them in more technical terms, so I might be able to get a pair? They sound wonderful.

[cliffrod]

Loud pipes deter deer.  Piss and moan about loud pipes all you want- I could ride the same road to see my then-girlfriend-now-wife with mufflers on car of bike and see a dozen if not twenty deer or more on every trip out onto the peninsula where she lived.  I could ride my V7 Sport with empty shark gills on the same road and never ever see a single deer.  In fact, it wasn't until I didn't ride my Guzzi to see her that I realized how many deer there were out there. 

Someone posted a link to a cafe bike a few days ago with some big ol' wonky Hella driving lights clamped to the crash bar.

[brider]

I don't think my eye doctor deals in magic glasses. Can you describe them in more technical terms, so I might be able to get a pair? They sound wonderful.

I wish I could describe their technical merits, but that eye doctor retired, and I don't have the record of the glasses. I don't think they're prescription, maybe it's just a coating? I wear cheaters all day long, but wore these just tonight driving and the clarity and sharpness and glare reduction at night are just remarkable. Yesterday I made the mistake of forgetting to bring them for the drive home from Boston to New Haven (after the Red Sox game), and was in agony for over 2 hrs down the Mass Pike and on to home, trying to keep up with traffic @ 80 mph with everything a glaring blur, I thought my eyes were bleeding when I got home.

[moto]

I wish I could describe their technical merits, but that eye doctor retired, and I don't have the record of the glasses. I don't think they're prescription, maybe it's just a coating?...

Thanks. That's enough to get me to raise the topic with my eye doctor. Perhaps there are well-known eye glasses modifications to improve night vision.

[Huzo]

Thanks. That's enough to get me to raise the topic with my eye doctor. Perhaps there are well-known eye glasses modifications to improve night vision.

I’ve got a set of rose coloured ones
Everything looks just fine through them..

[malik]

Night driving eyeware -
I find that yellow lenses work for me at night - reduce glare, and especially well in the rain at night.
I get clip-ons customised for my spectacles from polarised optics.com, and from bolle (who appear to specialise in safety glasses) I have wrap arounds with removable lenses, yellow & clear - I presume they do sunglasses, but I don't use those. Bought the bolle ones when I first tried contact lenses.
Note - when buying any eyeware, always test ride with your favourite helmets.
I have come across some businesses on the net that are anti yellow lenses - maintain that they don't work & have "science" that proves it - but they appear to be pushing their own "anti-reflective" coatings. Not unexpected, I suppose. Do your research, there are alternatives. Find what works for you.
Huzo, it is noted that rose-coloured lenses correct some dyslexia (& other colours may work for some other types), but as long are they work, it's fine. Cool even.

[Huzo]

Huzo, it is noted that rose-coloured lenses correct some dyslexia (& other colours may work for some other types), but as long are they work, it's fine. Cool even.

C’mon Malik throw me a frickin’ bone, I’m dying up here..!
Remember the old Johnny Farnham song ?

[malik]

Well, you're from Victoria, so some mild eccentricity is only to be expected. Anyway, these days where we are, I'm thinking we should be wearing such lenses during the day - everything would look so much better with a bit of colour. All's a bit on the drab side when you can't do much riding. Don't know how those blokes who have to hibernate for part of the year manage it. There's probably a pill. Got to be.

[Huzo]

Don't know how those blokes who have to hibernate for part of the year manage it. There's probably a pill. Got to be.

Yeah Viagra.
They used to give it to the male residents in my Mum’s residential home.
I asked the head nurse why they wanted to increase the “drive” of the old men.
“Oh, that’s not what we use it for...” Says the Nurse
“Oh, really..?”..Says I
“Nah”.. says the Nurse
“It’s to stop them rolling out of bed in the cold weather.... “

(Now, back to regular programming..)

[kfz]

one of the best mods ive made.  Love it